The field of the invention relates to communication systems. More particularly, the field of the invention relates to conferenced telephone calls.
The use of wireless telephones for communicating is well known. The use of wireless telephones for setting-up conference calls within the public switch telephone network (PSTN) is also known.
To form a conference call connection, a caller typically calls a PSTN operator and gives the operator a list of telephone numbers of participants to the conference call. The operator receives the telephone numbers and individually calls the participants.
To conference-in the participants, the operator invokes special features of a telephone switch within the PSTN. Within the switch, the call connection with each participant is typically divided into an incoming audio path (from a microphone of the participant) and an outbound audio path (to an audio speaker of the participant). To form a conference connection, the information on the inbound path of each participant must be summed with the information on the inbound paths of every other participant, and averaged. The summed and averaged information is then distributed to the participants on each outbound path.
While the conferencing features of the PSTN work well, they are sometimes difficult to access, set up and use. Further, where some of the participants are in a single location, the cost of a conference connection may not be justified. Accordingly, a need exists for a conferencing device that is easier to use and more amenable to use by local participants.
A method and apparatus are provided for establishing a conference call connection among a plurality of conference call participants. The method includes the steps of providing a call pod for interconnecting a plurality of headsets of the plurality of participants, operably connecting a headset interface of a wireless telephone with a wireless audio interface of the call pod and forming a two-way voice path among the plurality of headsets and the wireless interface within the call pod.